In Brief

LEGAL – Legislation to authorise marriage for gay and lesbian couples in South Africa came into effect on Thursday after it was signed onto the statute book by Vice President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

* STEP FORWARD – Former US President Bill Clinton announced an agreement yesterday to cut prices of HIV and AIDS treatments for children, making the lifesaving drugs far more accessible worldwide. Two Indian pharmaceutical companies have agreed to supply antiretroviral, or ARV, formulations for HIV-positive children at prices as low as 16 US cents a day, or US$60 annually, Clinton said in a speech at a New Delhi children’s hospital ahead of world AIDS Day on December 1.* HOMELESS – A powerful typhoon tore through the eastern Philippines yesterday with winds of up to 225 kilometres per hour, blowing away small houses, uprooting trees and cutting off power to thousands of homes, officials said.Typhoon Durian lashed the eastern island province of Catanduanes early yesterday but later veered to the south with its eye likely to spare the bustling capital, metropolitan Manila.* SEX OBJECTS – An irate philippine police doctor who was demoted for allegedly fondling women recruits went into a shooting frenzy inside police headquarters, killing one person and wounding five others before he was shot, officials said yesterday.Chief Inspector Renato Poscablo walked into the Manila police camp late Wednesday, where police had gathered for an anniversary celebration.* ALUTA CONTINUA – North Korea’s nuclear envoy said yesterday his country won’t unilaterally abandon its atomic weapons programme after two days of meetings with his US counterpart failed to produce a date on restarting six-nation disarmament talks.* GIVE AND TAKE – Fiji’s prime minister announced a range of concessions yesterday that appeared aimed at meeting the demands of the military commander who has been threatening to oust the government.Prime Minister Laisensia Qarase said in a news conference broadcast nationally that the government would suspend two contentious bills that military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama has said must not go ahead.Nampa-AFP-AP-Reuters-SapaTwo Indian pharmaceutical companies have agreed to supply antiretroviral, or ARV, formulations for HIV-positive children at prices as low as 16 US cents a day, or US$60 annually, Clinton said in a speech at a New Delhi children’s hospital ahead of world AIDS Day on December 1.* HOMELESS – A powerful typhoon tore through the eastern Philippines yesterday with winds of up to 225 kilometres per hour, blowing away small houses, uprooting trees and cutting off power to thousands of homes, officials said.Typhoon Durian lashed the eastern island province of Catanduanes early yesterday but later veered to the south with its eye likely to spare the bustling capital, metropolitan Manila.* SEX OBJECTS – An irate philippine police doctor who was demoted for allegedly fondling women recruits went into a shooting frenzy inside police headquarters, killing one person and wounding five others before he was shot, officials said yesterday.Chief Inspector Renato Poscablo walked into the Manila police camp late Wednesday, where police had gathered for an anniversary celebration.* ALUTA CONTINUA – North Korea’s nuclear envoy said yesterday his country won’t unilaterally abandon its atomic weapons programme after two days of meetings with his US counterpart failed to produce a date on restarting six-nation disarmament talks.* GIVE AND TAKE – Fiji’s prime minister announced a range of concessions yesterday that appeared aimed at meeting the demands of the military commander who has been threatening to oust the government.Prime Minister Laisensia Qarase said in a news conference broadcast nationally that the government would suspend two contentious bills that military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama has said must not go ahead.Nampa-AFP-AP-Reuters-Sapa